Raffle tickets to win a first prize of a 46-inch LCD TV and two second prizes of

Visa
gift cards ($100 and $50), purchased by the Goodwill to promote donations, will be given through next Monday to those who donate at least one bag or box of good clothing.

It's called the Weigh Good Drive, and the goal is to collect 400,000 pounds of donated clothing in less than a week -- four times the usual amount aimed for in the spring -- because of the severe impact the recession is having on donations, said
Dorothy H. Viets
, director of community relations for Goodwill.

"Clothing and household goods are what we're trying to get," Viets said earlier this week at the store in Monroe, where

David Jones
, district manager, said he hopes to reach people who don't usually donate.

"I think the stuff is out there, but we have to find a new stream of donations," he said. "People who regularly donate are holding onto (things) longer, but people who aren't regular don't understand what it's all about, and we want to reach out to some new people."

The donations help a good cause in two ways: Goodwill provides merchandise at a low price for people in tough economic situations, and the money from the sales provides work and other assistance programs for people with disabilities.

Shopping at Goodwill is recreational -- a bit like a hunting expedition, said

Lisa Migliarise
of Monroe, who was shopping Monday for knickknacks and vases.

"Sometimes you find something, sometimes you don't. It's like antiquing," she said. "I collect gowns. I have four teenaged daughters at home and we love to dress up for Halloween parties. Big ugly gowns -- I love them."

Shop often and you could get lucky.

"You never know," she said. "You can get a mink coat in here."

Goodwill shopping is also more relaxing than retail store shopping, said
Karen Wolfinger
of Shelton, who said she picked up the habit of frequenting secondhand stores in her native Germany.